Getting to know Kakono, the silverback male of the Mishaya gorilla family.
For many visitors to Uganda, us included, gorilla trekking is the activity they anticipate most. On the morning of your trek, excitement, expectations and adrenaline run high, fueled with the hopes of encountering and experiencing a mountain gorilla family in the wild.
There are approximately 900 mountain gorillas in the shared-border forests that extend into Uganda, Rwanda and Congo, with approximately 400 of them in Uganda. Of those, nine families of gorillas have been habituated, meaning that while they are in the wild, they have become accustomed to visits from people and thus are unlikely to attack.
And while there are no guarantees of mountain gorilla sightings when you set off, the tracking procedures in place at Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park virtually ensure you an unforgettable encounter. Here’s all you need to know to make the most of your gorilla trekking experience.
Obtaining a Gorilla Trekking Permit
The first hurdle to overcome is obtaining a gorilla trekking permit ($600, except in the season months of April and May when permits are $350). A gorilla trekking permit is included in all G Adventures tours in Uganda. If you travel independently, you should apply to the park or through a local operator several months in advance, especially if you expect to go during the high season (June-August).
What to Bring With You
Everyone’s gorilla trekking experience is different and depends on the weather, the depth of your forest hike, where the gorillas are hanging out, and a host of other considerations. It’s important to be prepared so you can focus your time on finding gorillas, not fussing with your gear.
Remember that you’ll be walking through mud and be covered in dirt by the end of your trek. Consider bringing clothes that are not precious, that you don’t mind ruining.
Everyone’s gorilla trekking experience is different and depends on the weather, the depth of your forest hike, where the gorillas are hanging out, and a host of other considerations. It’s important to be prepared so you can focus your time on finding gorillas, not fussing with your gear.
1. What to wear when gorilla trekking
Remember that you’ll be walking through mud and be covered in dirt by the end of your trek. Consider bringing clothes that are not precious, that you don’t mind ruining.
- Comfortable trekking pants. If you have separate waterproof pants carry these in your backpack in case of rain.
- T-shirt or long-sleeved shirt. We recommend a light long-sleeved shirt to protect you against sun exposure and bugs (of which there are A LOT in the forest and jungle).
- Waterproof jacket. Keep this handy, especially in the wet season, in case it begins pouring down rain.
- Fleece or light jacket. Although it’s unlikely you’ll be cold when trekking in the forest,
you may become chilled waiting around or stopping for lunch, as the park is above 2,000m (6,000 ft.). - Comfortable trekking shoes. Ideally, your shoes have good traction on the bottom. Even better if they are somewhat water-resistant.
- Hat. For sun protection when trekking outside the forest.
2. Food and water
- Two liters of water per person. Recommended to carry with you in case it’s a long, hot hike.
- Lunch and snacks. In addition to a sandwich (or similar) for lunch, bring snacks that you can munch on along the way to keep your blood sugar and energy high. Depending on your gorilla search, it can sometimes be a while before you eat lunch.
3. Other gear
- Small backpack. Be sure this is comfortable, as you’ll need to carry it for hours en route to and inside the jungle.
- Walking stick. Do not worry about bringing your own. They are available to borrow at the park entrance.
- Cameras and rain protection. It might be a bit overboard to carry a dry sack for your camera, but do carry a plastic bag or similar protection in case of rain.
- Sunscreen and bug spray. A staple of Africa travel.
Porters are available for hire at the National Park entrance for $15 per day (May 2014 prices). Porters can help carry your bag, as well as assist you up through the hills and difficult patches of the forest and jungle climb.
Guides, scouts, trackers, porters
You’ll need your passport with you when you arrive at Bwindi Impenetrable National Park since officials will need to verify your trekking permit. After a quick briefing on the activities of the park, safety measures and how to prepare yourself for the day, you will be assigned to a group of a maximum of eight people for your gorilla family search and visit.
Our gorilla trekking support team with a lead guide, two scouts, two trackers and a porter.
Each group will consist of a lead guide and two scouts who carry AK-47 guns and walk before and after the group. The reason for armed scouts is to protect the group in the forest in case it comes across wild elephants or angry, unhabituated gorillas. In case of such encounters, scouts are trained to fire shots into the air first in order to scare away the animals.
Each gorilla family also has assigned to it a pair of trackers who have been sent out in the early morning (prior to your arrival in the park) to find the location of your specific gorilla family and to assess where they may be headed. Trackers communicate the gorillas’ movements to the guide so he can decide on the best approach to meet the gorilla family.
Beginning the trek
During our visit, some groups entered the forest direct from the National Park entrance while others, like us, drove further and began our hike from a local village about fifteen minutes further up the road.
Our guide and scout wait for word from the trackers as to the location of the gorilla family.
The length of your overall experience and the amount of time it will take to actually meet your gorilla family is said to vary widely. It may take as little as 30 minutes to find your family and as long as five to six hours. The day we went, the longest a group spent in the forest was three hours.
The Ugandan forest is lush, humid and damp and there are no trekking paths as we have come to know them. It is also full of hills and steep slopes where you will be required to pull yourself up steep jungle grades by grasping onto branches, plant roots, bushes and more.
Although gorillas move around effortlessly, this is not particularly easy terrain for humans.
Navigating the hilly terrain of Bwindi National Park.
Hanging with the gorillas
Once your group finds the gorilla family this is when the clock starts: you have approximately one hour to spend with them.
A bit of stillness to enjoy the moment with the gorillas.
Stay quiet and avoid sudden movements. It’s not a problem to look a gorilla in the eye, but if he begins charging you, hold your ground but lower your eyes to indicate that you do not want a confrontation.
Photos and videos are fine, but no flash. In an ideal situation you’ll find several gorillas together in a clearing on the ground eating and hanging around. This provides you the most visibility and you can just sit on the ground and observe. In other situations the gorillas are up in the trees, behind bushes, or walking around through dense brush. Follow the lead of the trackers and guides and stay close behind them as they move around to find other gorillas.
A young male gorilla hangs out in the tree before coming closer to check us out.
If the gorilla is behind a series of trees or bushes, the trackers will often clear the brush with their machete so you can get a clearer and closer look. It is incredible how large, graceful and peaceful these animals are. You’ll be especially amazed when you see the silverbacks (mature males).
Showing respect for the gorillas
Respect the gorillas as the wild yet sentient creatures that they are. Reduce the anxiety that your presence may bring them by giving them the space they deserve. Do not aggressively pursue them too much if it seems like they are becoming annoyed and constantly moving away from you.
As we observe the gorillas it feels as if they are observing us humans, too.
Just sit and watch. Stare into the eyes of mountain gorilla and you’ll likely feel a connection, one unlike you’ve never experienced before. It’s the connection of peering into the mind of an exotic creature that looks and acts quite a bit like we humans do. It’s a difficult feeling to articulate. Hopefully, you’ll be able to experience it for yourself.
Getting There
G Adventures runs a number of departures in Uganda encompassing a wide range of departure dates and activities to cater for different tastes. We’re thrilled at the prospect of showing you this big blue planet of ours — check out our small group trips here.
